Temple Hills, Md. Car Theft Suspect Arrested at D.C. Hospital

A 20-year-old Hillcrest Heights man was arrested at a D.C. hospital where he was treated for a gunshot wound Nov. 4 and charged with attempted murder 10 miles from the scene of an attempted car theft that was foiled by an off-duty U.S. Park Police officer.

Police said Mills was involved in an attempted car theft that was interrupted by U. S. Park Police officer Gary Fuller who confronted the would-be thief and fired gunshots at the vehicle which was later abandoned, Prince George’s police said.

According to a police account, the incident began in Temple Hills just before dawn when Fuller, who was off-duty, said he was at his parent’s house in the 4300 block of 23rd Place to take his mother to an appointment. The officer had started his mother’s car and left it running in front of the family home when, he told police, a man entered the vehicle and drove away.

Fuller, who was inside the house at the time of the apparent theft, chased his mother’s car in his vehicle, forced it to stop a few blocks away at Lyons and Olson Streets, identified himself as a police officer and ordered the driver to get out of the car.

Instead of complying, the driver revved the engine and began driving toward the officer, police said. Fuller fired at the vehicle, which did not stop. The vehicle was later discovered abandoned in Hillcrest Heights.

Police said Mills was arrested a short time later 10 miles away at Medstar Washington Hospital Center in D.C. where he was treated for a gunshot wound.

Fuller was not injured in the incident and was placed on administrative leave while the incident is being investigated by federal and county officials.